Godliness with сontentment: The significance of сontentment for Martin Luther’s understanding of society

Robert Kolb,professor emeritus, Concordia seminary in St. Louis (Seminary Place, 801, Saint Louis, USA, MO 63105)

kolbr@csl.edu

Kolb R. Godliness with Contentment: The Significance of Contentment for Martin Luther’s Understanding of Society, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2017, vol. 6, pp. 168–181.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2017-00009

Language: English

The article explores the Luther’s understanding of human life and his social ethics. The author concludes that in Luther’s very personal world contentment, as an expression of faith, made it possible for believers to risk what God gives them to serve others and create an orderly society. Contentment is the enemy of social unrest as well as personal dissatisfaction and unsettledness. Mutual service eliminates the need for rebellion and mutual love eliminates the desire for personal security or gain by exploiting others. Luther’s insistence on fulfilling the assignments God has called individuals to perform prevented social quietism and encouraged active participation in all aspects of life in the home, the workplace, society, and the congregation of Christ’s people.
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Key words: callings, Ockham, sermons, human life, society, ethics

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/kolb-2017-en/

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